Protection Principles & Implementation in Operating Systems

1. Chapter 14: Protection

2. Goals of Protection • Operating system consists of a collection of objects, hardware or software • Each object has a unique name and can be accessed through a well-defined set of operations. • Protection problem - ensure that each object is accessed correctly and only by those processes that are allowed to do so.

3. Principles of Protection • Guiding principle – principle of least privilege • Programs, users and systems should be given just enough privileges to perform their tasks

4. Domain Structure • Access-right = <object-name, rights-set>where rights-set is a subset of all valid operations that can be performed on the object. • Domain = set of access-rights

5. Domain Implementation (UNIX) • System consists of 2 domains: • User • Supervisor • UNIX • Domain = user-id • Domain switch accomplished via file system. • Each file has associated with it a domain bit (setuid bit). • When file is executed and setuid = on, then user-id is set to owner of the file being executed. When execution completes user-id is reset.

6. Access Matrix • View protection as a matrix (access matrix) • Rows represent domains • Columns represent objects • Access(i, j) is the set of operations that a process executing in Domaini can invoke on Objectj

7. Access Matrix

8. Use of Access Matrix • If a process in Domain Ditries to do “op” on object Oj, then “op” must be in the access matrix. • Can be expanded to dynamic protection. • Operations to add, delete access rights. • Special access rights: • owner of Oi • copy op from Oi to Oj • control – Di can modify Dj access rights • transfer – switch from domain Di to Dj

9. Access Matrix of Figure A With Domains as Objects Figure B

10. Modified Access Matrix of Figure B

11. Access Matrix with Copy Rights

12. Access Matrix With Owner Rights

13. Use of Access Matrix (Cont.) • Access matrix design separates mechanism from policy. • Mechanism • Operating system provides access-matrix + rules. • If ensures that the matrix is only manipulated by authorized agents and that rules are strictly enforced. • Policy • User dictates policy. • Who can access what object and in what mode.

14. Implementation of Access Matrix • Each column = Access-control list for one object Defines who can perform what operation. Domain 1 = Read, Write Domain 2 = Read Domain 3 = Read • Each Row = Capability List (like a key)Fore each domain, what operations allowed on what objects. Object 1 – Read Object 4 – Read, Write, Execute Object 5 – Read, Write, Delete, Copy

15. Access Control • Protection can be applied to non-file resources • Solaris 10 provides role-based access control to implement least privilege • Privilege is right to execute system call or use an option within a system call • Can be assigned to processes • Users assigned roles granting access to privileges and programs

16. Revocation of Access Rights • Access List – Delete access rights from access list. • Simple • Immediate • Capability List – Scheme required to locate capability in the system before capability can be revoked. • Reacquisition • Back-pointers • Indirection • Keys

17. End of Chapter 14